Hair-comb-cleaning device



M ay7, 1929.

c WILLBER ET A1.

HAIR COMB CEANING DEVICE File Nov. 2, 1927 hereinai rwidth thereof.;

Patented May 7, 1929. f

UNITED STATES 1,711,627 PATENT oFFicE.

yCHARLES WILLBER Ann THOMAS., WILLBER, or MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

nArRco-MeoLnANrne DEVICE.

Application filed November 2, 1927, Serial No. 230,588, and in Great Britain November 27, 1926.

T his invention relates to hair combs and cleaning devices therefor.

llie'main object thereof is to provide a sinplebut etticient means of removing foreign matter .from between ktheteeth `of hair combs. Another object is to provide means lfor guarding or shielding the teeth of a hair comb when the latter. is not in use.

y iVefattain these objects by` the means il-v lustrated in the accompanying drawing andv fter claimed. In the drawings?- Figure l is a side elevation of a hair comb with cleaner. i

Figure 2 is an end'view in section on line O into a different position.

Figure 3 is a plan view in sectionon line 8--3 of Figurel. c

lfigure l is a side elevation 'of another comb with anothercleaner.

Figure is an end view in section Lon line 5 5 of Figure 4.

Figure' G is a plan View in section on line 6-6 of Figure a. Referring to the drawings, in the con'- struction shown in Figures l' to 3 we pro-V ide ya combfl with vopen ended slots 2 eX- tending from the rear extremity in the direction of the teeth 3 of the comb l, and we providey cylindircalv pivots i extending across the gaps orslots 2. The pivots 4lmaybe formed integral with thev comb.

Ve furthermore provide a strip 5 having at its rear edge projections 6 bent-'to form oien e 7es ada )ted to be en ao'ed bi the oivf ots ft. The projections 6 are preferably of springy material so that the said oyes can be forced on to and off the pivots /-l-. Thus the strip 5 is detachably hinged to Lthe comb l.

lVe provide on 'the strip` 5 'a plurality of lateral yprojections oi1 teeth 7 corresponding in shape and position with the gaps between the comb teeth 3. kThe projections or teeth 7 hereinafter `termed the cleaning teeth, project laterally from that side of the strip 5 which is opposed to the side of the comb l.

rlhe cleaning teeth'7 yare ofsuch lateral width and shape as to exactly fill the gaps between comb teeth 3 along the length of the comb teeth 3 and across the thickness or In loperation when it is desiredto clean the comb teethv 3, the strip 5 wardly on its hinges Il, G and the cleaning land thereby not only tend .4 2 of Figure l, but with the cleaner moved .Y

. j ect-ions 6 teeth 7 are thereby caused to enter the gaps between the teeth 3 in a lateral direction and by engaging the said gaps, toy force the foreign matter out at the other side of the comb l. Owing to the arcuatemovement performedby' the strip and therefore by the cleaning teeth 7, the cleaning teeth 7 first enter the gaps' at the roots of the teeth, 3

to force the foreign matter downwards asi well as laterally outwai'cls,',but also insure'engageinent between and separat-ion of such combteeth 3 as may have become crossed or displaced at their free ends.v

The strip 5 and cleaning teeth 7 may re'- inain in the last described position and thus serve to protect the teeth 3 of the comb against injury and, wherethe comb. is placed in the pocket, tox preventthe coinbteeth 3 from catching'the pocket and prevent the entrance of lufl or the like between the comb teeth 3. Thus the strip 5 and-cleaning teeth 7 can be employed in lieu of and to serve the same purpose as a. case or sheath.

The strip 5 is vpreferably extended slightly beyond the extremities of the comb vteeth 3 so toV leave free a part thereof for the `upwards until it is situated behind the comb,

the comb teeth 3 being then entirely free for use. .1.

" The strip 5,te'eth 7 and projections be formed integral :with one another, vor the projections (S may be formed separate and be;` Aatt-ached to the strip 5by any suitable means,

for example by rivets.

Thus the strip 5 and cleaning teeth 7, and in seine cases the prorial and the cost of production bethereby kept low. v

Inici-der to assist the ready engagement of the cleaning teeth 7 with the gaps between the comb teeth 3, we may form one or more cleaning teeth 7 with a projecting or leading corner 8Figures l and 2, so .that it or they enter' its or their gap or gaps between teeth 3 before the other cleaning teeth 7 and thereby form a guide or guides for the correct approach and entry ofthe said other It will be appreciated. that the strip may be permanently hinged tok the comb and that 6 may can be moulded of 'suitable matec the hinges may be provided at the ends ot the back portion of the comb instead of at the rear part of the said back portion.

In lieu of connecting the cleaner to vthe comb by hinges or the like, of which parts are provided on the comb itself, we may i'orm the cleaner as a separate and entirely independent entity which` can be used on any known or existing comb the teeth gaps of which coincide in spacing and size with the teeth of the cleaner. j j

Figures 4t to 6 show a construction of separate and independent cleaner, 9 being a comb ot' any ordinary or known form. The

' cleaner consists oit a strip l0 provided with cleaning teeth ll which are arranged to exactly fit the gaps between the comb teeth l2 when the cleaner is applied to the comb 9. The strip l0 extends beyond the lower extremities of the teeth 11 and 1Q to facilitate removal of the cleaner from the comb.

`ln use the strip l() and therefore also the cleaning teeth ll are completely removed from the comb 9 when it is desired to use the comb 9.- VTo clean the comb 9 the strip `l0 is pressed against one side ofthe same to` :torce the cleaning teeth ll laterally into the gaps between the combteeth 12 'f and thereby expel all foreign matter from the said gaps.V j y lVhen the hair has been combed the cleaner may be placed thereon to protect the comb teeth l2 against injury and if the comb is a pocket comb or bag comb, to also protect the pocket or bag against injury by the comb teeth 1Q, and furthermore' to prevent the entrance of foreign matter between the comb teeth l2 when not in use. Owing to the friction between the teeth -11 and 12, the cleanerY remains suiiiciently securely in position on the comb 9 without the provision of any other means of securement.

. From the hereinbefore stated description it will'be appreciated that our invention f* provides a simple but very efficient means ot completely cleaning hair comb teeth, whether Y Y they be'bent or not, which means also serves the dual purpose of also acting as a case or sheath for protection of the comb lor of the pocket in which the combl is carried,

It is to be understood that our invention is applicable to combs having teeth at both edges. Where the first described construction is applied to such combs, it is so modified that the pivotal connection of the clean- `ing device 5, 7 is situated at the centre of the comb and the cleaning device is modified by having another set of cleaning teeth 7 arranged on the other side of the strip 5, so that by turning the strip 5 in one direction, one setol' cleaning teeth 7 clean the comb teeth at one edge of the comb, and by turning the strip 5 in the` other direction, the second set oi cleaning teeth 7 clean-the comb teeth at the other edge of the comb.

We claiml. A vhaircomb cleaning device comprising a liat member having lateral teeth or projections of the same. length, width and Vdepth as the teethgaps o't the comb to be pushed into the gaps from the side of the comb and completely occupy and till all parts of the said gaps simultaneously and thereby force all foreignrmatter from between the teeth in a lateral direction relative to the comb teeth, and completely exclude foreign matter from the gaps when the `comb is not in use.

2. A hair comb cleaning device according tol claim l wherein the said member can be completely removed from the comb laterally 3. A hair comb cleaning device according to claim l wherein one or moreot` the lateral teeth-or projections are provided with projecting or leading corners to assist in guiding the lateral teeth or projections into the teeth gaps. Y y

4. A hair comb cleaning device consisting of a strip having at one lside cleaning teeth adapted to engage and completely fill the teeth of a hair comb and to bev inserted laterally into the said gaps, the said strip being extended beyond the extremities of the said teeth.. j i i A Y In vtestimony whereof, we havetsigned our names Vto this specification at `lVlanchester in the countyV of Lancaster, England, this 24th day of October, 1927. V 

